Louis Vuitton designer, Virgil Abloh, succumbs to cancer at 41
Popular US fashion designer Virgil Abloh, who was the creative director at Louis Vuitton, has passed away. The 41-year-old was battling a form of cancer for the past two years, announced a post on the "visionary" designer's Instagram handle recently. As per that update, he's survived by his wife Shannon Abloh and his children, Lowe Abloh and Grey Abloh. May he rest in peace.
He was battling 'rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma'
"We are devastated to announce the passing of our beloved Virgil Abloh, a fiercely devoted father, husband, son, brother, and friend," read the announcement post. It revealed the designer was battling "a rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma" since his diagnosis in 2019. He chose to fight this battle in private. Notably, Abloh was the founder of the luxury streetwear label Off-White.
Abloh was famous for his music album covers too
Alongside establishing a niche for his designs in the fashion arena, Abloh was also noted in the world of music. He was known for creating album covers for artists like Kanye West and Jay-Z. His remembrance post mentioned how Abloh continued to excel artistically while he was going through hardship. "Through it all, his work ethic, infinite curiosity, and optimism never wavered," it said.
Gigi Hadid, Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner remembered the artist
Several industry insiders took to social media to mourn the loss. Supermodels Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, Hailey Bieber, and Kendall Jenner wrote heart-wrenching messages online. LVMH Group, which represents both Louis Vuitton and Off-White, sent out a statement too. "Virgil was not only a genius designer - a visionary - he was also a man with a beautiful soul and a great wisdom (sic)."
Indian stars Karan Johar, Priyanka Chopra also paid respects
Several Indian stars, such as Priyanka Chopra, Karan Johar, and Sonam Kapoor Ahuja also paid their respects. Originally an architect, Abloh ventured into the field of designing clothes in 2012. Apart from album covers, he found himself engaging in furniture designing and becoming a DJ, among others. One of the most renowned Black designers, Abloh was notably the first Black designer at Louis Vuitton.
